Arts & Culture

Against Mark Rober Vigilantism

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An unforgettable quote from a very forgettable movie: “Batman is a fascist!” DC’s latest Blue Beetle rides the wave of tokenist superhero films meant to vacuously pander to some corporate misconception of progressivism — yes, us progressives love cookie-cutter, AI-written afterthought action flicks so long as they promote BIPOC cultures in the same way that a NatGeo documentary promotes endangered birds. It’s reminiscent of that sentiment many Asian Americans felt from Crazy Rich Asians; it is the prerogative of out-of-touch Hollywood execs who want to cash in on the fact that they know about Hawker stalls from white people who don’t. 

That deliberately outrageous quip, though, should provoke a sympathetic response from any sincere liberationist. Who does Batman think he is? Did Spider-Man just throw a manhole at a homeless shoplifter down on his luck? I’m reminded of that thing filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu said: “I see heroes every day.

City

Ithaca Mayor Endorses Legislation to Reduce Local Homelessness

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The Home Stability Support Program would provide statewide rental subsidies to 80,000 households — including 150,000 children — that are on the brink of homelessness despite being eligible for public assistance, said Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-28), chair of the Assembly Social Services Committee, at a press conference.